Humidifying apparatus for space heaters



July 5, 1932. F. M. YOUNG HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS FOR SPACE HEATERS 2 Sheets-sheaf 1 Filed Dec. 17, 1930 M656 M M,

y 1932- F. M. YOUNG' 1,865,605

EUIIDIFYING APPARATUS FOR SPACE HEATERS Filed D eu. 17. 1930 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Patented July 5, 1932 IRED M. YOUNG, F RACINE, WISCONSIN EUHIDIFYING APPARATUS F63 SPACE HEATERS Application filed. December 17, 1930. Serial No. 503,002.

This invention relates to improved humidifying apparatus, particularly for air heating devices. 1

The objects of my invention are to provide 6 improved means for injecting moisture in the form of water, steam or water vapor from a heat interchanger into a forced current of air while the. air is being passed through a heater; to provide automatic regulating means for regulating the quantity of moisture injected in proportion to the rate of movement of the air through the heat intcrchanger and proportional to the moisture absorbing capacity of the air supplied to the heater, to retain the atmosphere surrounding the heater at a substantially uniform relative humidity under various operating conditions of the heater to provide regulating means which will completely shut ofi the discharge of moisture when the current of air through the heater is discontinued and to provide adjustable means for varying thequantity of moisture injected into the current of air independently ofthe rate of flow of the current and temperature of the surrounding air for predetermining the relative humidity of the atmosphere in the room.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated the embodiment of my invention in which: v

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a space heater embodying my improved humidityin means.

Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section of regulating mechanism for controlling the discharge of moisture.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

My improved humidifying apparatus is part1cularly suited for use in connection with spaceheaters in which a current of air is impelled through a heat interchanger supplied with steamer hot Water. It maybe constructed so as to inject the moisture into the air as it is bein impelled through a heat interchanger or immediately thereafter.

In the illustration shown in the drawings, moisture dispensing means are provided in a supporting bracket for a motor driven fan or blower. The bracket has a flange on its end by means of which it may be attached to the upper header tank of a radiator of the same general type as that used in automobile construction and it is provided with a passage communicative with the interior of the tank. The passage extends rearwardly through the o0 bracket and communicates with a plurality of nozzles for injecting moisture into the current of air.

A manually operable valve is provided at the forward end of the passage for determining the flow of fluid therethrough and a valve for automatically controlling the discharge of fluid from the nozzles is located at .the rear end portion of the passage. The latter valve is provided with actuating mecha- I0 nism whichextends into the path of the air impelled by the fan for proportiening the discharge of moisture'relative to the rate at which the air is impelled through the heater. A thermostatic valve extends into the passage I6 between the manually operable valve and the automatically actuated valve for regulating the flow of moisture to the nozzle relative to the room temperature. The temperature and the air controlled valves may be used independentlyor simultaneously.

In the form shown, a space heater comprising upper and lower header tanks 1 and 2 respectively, and an intercommunicative core 3 is provided with an angular shaped sup- 35 porting bracket 4. The upper extremity of the arm 4 is provided with a flange 4' having apertures therein for receiving the bolts 5' by means of which the bracket is attached to a face plate 6 on the upper header tank.

A fan comprising a motor 5 and a propeller 6 ismounted on the lower extremity of the arm 4. The propeller fan is located within a partial closure formed by the side plates 7 of the heat interchanger and overhanging portions on the header tanks 1 and 2. A heating medium, such as water or steam, is supplied to' the heat interchanger through the plpe 8. communicative with the upper header tank 1 and'fiows from the heat interchanger through the pipe 9 communicative with the lower header tank 2. Some of the heating medium passes rearwardly through an aperture 11 in the faceplate 6' of the upper tank 1 and through a passage ture in the solid section 18 and extends into the passage 17 thereof for manually regulating the flow of the heating medium to the passage 19. The needle valve 21 is positioned iagonally, as shown in Fig. 4.

A thermostatic valve comprising a valve stem 22 and an expansible member 23 is mounted on the bracket 4 by a U-shaped strap 24. The member 23 bears between the strap 24 and'a yoke 25 to which the stem 22 is rigi 1y secured. The lower end of the stem 22 is retracted from and extended into the passage 17 by the expansion and contraction, re- ,spectively, of the member 23, thereby regulating the flow of heating medium through the passage in proportion to the change of temperature which causes the expansion and contraction of the member 23.

A valve 26 for automatically controlling the flow of fluid from the passage 17 extends into the solid section 18 through a horizontal passage 27 and into the passage 17 where the latter passage meets the vertical passage 19. This valve is threaded in the solid section 18 and is provided at its outer end with a pinion 28. The pinion 28 is located on one side of the bracket 4 and is meshed with a gear segment 29 pivoted on the bracket 4 at 30. The gear segment 29 comprises an arm 31 provided with a vane 32 normally extending transversel of the current of air created by the fan. X spring 33, attached at one end to the bracket 4 and at its other end to the arm 31, normally retains the arm 31 and vane 32 in their rearward position. When the fan is in operation, the gear segment 29 is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction by the current of air created thereby and the pinion 28 is rotated in a clockwise direct on opening the valve 26 which is provided w1th left-hand threads.

A spraying device comprising a riser 34 communicative with the lower end of the vertical assage 19 in the solid section 18 is provided with a transverse pipe 35 having removable nozzles 36 mounted thereon. The pipe extends substantially across the width of the heat interchanger and may be provided with any desired number of nozzles, each of which are positioned for directing a spray of moisture into the compartment in which the propeller 6 is confined.

The manually operable valve 21 may be set in any desired osition for predetermining the maximum dbw of the heating medium from the header tank 1 to the spraying de' vice. The thermostatic valve is lifted from and lowered into the path of the heating medium in the passage 17 when the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere raises and lowers respectively. In this manner a greater flow of moisture vis supplicd'to the current of air, being impelled through the heat interchanger when the air is at a higher temperature.

This regulation tends to maintain the relative humidity substantially uniform in a room at different temperatures by supplying more moisture as the air becomes conditioned for absorbing greater quantities of moisture.

The automatic valve 26, under actuation of the spring 33 completely shuts off the flow of moisture to the spraying device when the fan is inoperative, thus avoiding the continued dripping of water. The automatic valve actuating mechanism also proportions the flow of heating medium or moisture to the rate at which air is passed through the heat interchanger thereby maintaining uniform air conditions at various. rates of operation of the fan.

. The nozzles 36 are removable and may be replaced by nozzles-having discharge apertures of different sizes for adapting the device to discharge heating medium of different nature, such as steam and hot water.

Although-but one specific embodiment of this invention has been heroin shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted Without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An air conditioning device comprisin means for impelling a current of air, a flui reservoir comprising a restricted outlet for injecting moisture under pressure into said current of air, and automatic regulating means in said outlet for varying the amount of moisture injected in proportion to the quantity of air impelled and its moisture absorbing capacity for maintaining the surrounding air at a substantially constant relative humidity.

2. In combination with an air heating device comprising spaced tanks and intercommunicative tubes, a bracket having a passage therein communicative at one end with one of said tanks, a fan on said bracket for impelling a current of air through said heater, nozzles communicative with the other end of said passage for injecting moisture from said tanks into the current of air impelled by said fan as it is driven into said heater, a valve in said passage, and actuating mechanism comprising a vane operatively connected with said valve and extending into the path of the current of air for opening and closing said v cative with said valve whensaid fan is operative and inoperative respectiveiy. a 3. In means or conditioning air, in combination with a .heater comprising spaced tanks and intercommunicative tubes, a fan for impelling a current-of air through said heater,

water vapor injecting means com risingw a bracket attached to one of said ta 5 having a passage therein communicative with said tank and a distributing member communiassage, nozzles removably mounted on said distributing member for injecting water vapor from said tank into the current of air as it is impelled through said heater, and means for re ating the flow of water vapor through sai nozzles relative to the quantity of air impelled through said heater and relative to its moisture absorbing capacit for maintaining the surrounding atmosp ere at a substantially uniform relative humidity.

4. The combination with a space heater com rising a fluid heating medium reservoir, of a an for impelling a current of air through said heater, an extension on said reservoir having a assa therein communicative with the interior 0 said reservoir for injectin fluid into said current of air as it is passed throu hsaid heater, a needle valve threaded in sai extension comprising a pinion, means for actuating said needle valve comprising a vane pivoted on said extension and extending into the path of said current a. gear segment on said vane meshed with the pinion of said valve for regulating the flow of fluid through said passage, and means for rotating said vane to completely close said passage when the fan is inoperative.

5. An air conditioning device comprising means for impelling a current of air, a flu' reservoir comprisin a restricted outletfor injectin moisture un er prewure into said current 0 air, an automatic regulatin means in said outlet actuated by the flow 0 said current of air for varying the amount of moisture injected in proportion to the quantity of air impelled, and a second means actua by the temuperature of the surrounding air for contro ng the amount of moisture injected. according to the moisture absorbingcapacity of said current of air.

. 9gigned at Chicago this 8th day of October,

FRED M. YOUNG. 

